No Kill Advocacy Center
May 9
Dear No Kill Advocate:
We are trying to make it illegal for shelters to kill animals, when qualified rescue groups are willing to save them. In 1998, California passed such a law. Before the California law went into effect, only 12,526 animals were being transferred from shelters to rescue groups statewide every year. The rest were being killed at public expense. That number now stands at over 58,939—a 370% increase in annual lifesaving, all at no cost to taxpayers. In just one California County, the number of animals saved by rescue groups, rather than killed, went from zero to almost 4,000 per year as a result of the law.
Please help us make it a reality. We're not asking for your money, we're asking for your time. Take a few short minutes and you can potentially save tens of thousands of animals every year.
Send your Governor and elected representatives in the state Assembly/House and Senate the following email:
Why are taxpayers spending money killing animals, when private organizations are willing to spend their own money to save them? At a time of economic challenges, our shelters should be partnering with the private sector to increase lifesaving, while reducing costs. By making it illegal for shelters to kill animals when qualified non-profit rescue organizations are willing to save them, a rescue access law would save lives, save taxpayer money, and reduce burdens on municipal governments.
In 1998, California passed such a law by a vote of 96 to 12—as close to unanimity as possible in a state as large as California. In 2010, Delaware passed it unanimously. An analysis in the City and County of San Francisco found that doing so reduced their municipal expenditures $486,480 in just one year. Before the California law went into effect, only 12,526 animals were being transferred from shelters to rescue groups statewide every year. The rest were being killed at public expense. That number now stands at over 58,939—a 370% increase in annual lifesaving, all at no cost to taxpayers. In just one California County, the number of animals saved by rescue groups, rather than killed, went from zero to almost 4,000 per year as a result of the law.
In fact, passing such a law not only does the cost of care shift from taxpayer to private philanthropy, the municipality saves the cost of killing and disposal, and—because the legislation allows the shelter to charge the rescue group an adoption fee—brings in millions of dollars in additional revenues. The California law is saving 46,413 animals a year while saving $1,856,520 statewide for killing and disposal (these savings do not include additional savings relative to cost of care). And by charging rescue groups an adoption fee, they could be bringing in roughly $2,000,000 in additional revenues. Our animals and our taxpayers deserve the same.
Model Rescue Access Legislation: http://bit.ly/gfLtW7
San Francisco Financial Analysis: http://bit.ly/gZynkG
California Legal Analysis: http://bit.ly/fupNEK
Thank you.
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To contact your governor: http://1.usa.gov/qUuY5
To contact your state legislator: http://1.usa.gov/8ZS3X0